High Fidelity Prospects- Page 2

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 8:33pm

I would pay $ 20 for this & for Lestat & In My Life as well

[B3TA07]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 8:36pm

A $20 nap is better than a $75 nap.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 8:37pm

Well said

[B3TA07]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 8:41pm

Ty. Another perk is we get to avoid the Woolvertoon's(sp?) book.

When all's said and done, I still have to admit that Lestat was the best musical I'd seen in ten years. Just like my girl Rosie, I tell it like it is.

[wexy]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 8:45pm

Just file it under "Flops That I've Seen" and there have been a bunch.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 8:47pm

True true

I open with a Gantry & raise you a Metro

[wexy]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 8:54pm

I hit you with "Nick and Nora"

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 8:57pm

O K wise guy

Take this: Thou Shalt Not

I know that was a low blow but war is war

[James885]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 9:52pm

I'll give it till new years eve. I can't imagine it lasting any longer than that, with the horrible reviews and the fact that it's losing so much money every week. Not unless the producers are able to work some kind of miracle to get enough butts in the seats every week to cover the running costs.

This is one of those times that I really wish I lived near New York so that I could be able to see these soon-to-be-flop shows before they close. I still regret that I wasn't able to see In My Life, Lestat, or Good Vibrations.

[wexy]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 10:29pm

You should all be happy that you never saw "The Secret Rapture", the worst thing that I have ever seen (play, musical, movie, tv show, street performance,painting,etc.)

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 11:22pm

It's not fair to blame critics. The people who should be blamed (if any blame is to be had for the failure of a musical) are the writers, director, and producers. After all, they're the ones that made it bad.

Word of mouth is enough to allow a show to run, despite poor reviews. Both BROOKLYN and JEKYLL AND HYDE were mostly massacred by critics, but word of mouth and rabid fans made both shows run longer than they ever could have otherwise.

If people felt as strongly about HIGH FIDELITY as other shows, you can bet that the should might have had a healthier run. The only word of mouth I heard on the show has been negative...and that started months ago.

Critics no longer have the power to close a show on opening night, especially for something like HIGH FIDELITY. People just aren't liking it. Why? Because it's awful. No one's fault but the creators, so placing the blame on critics is not only unfair, but just dumb.

[McFrenzied]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 11:30pm

it seems like they're advertising a LOT. Aside from the radio ad mentioned (I havn't heard it), I see posters for the show in the subways and around the Times Square area now. This is on top of the huge TV commercial they already spent a lot of money on (on network TV!). I think they're actively trying to reach outside of the Broadway audience and to reach people that don't read reviews. That's tricky because those people don't normally attend theatre. They would only buy tickets if it looks interesting to them, and I think that's the real problem here. Not that critics drive people away, but that there is no interest in this show. I mildly enjoyed the movie (didn't think it was GREAT), but it's not something I'd pay a hundred bucks to see unless every critic was raving about it.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 11:33pm

I don't think billboards in Manhattan subways really do anything at all. People who live in Manhattan are overwhelmed daily by ads everywhere. I am on the subway 2-4 times a day, and most of the time, don't even look twice at the ads I see. Too many.

Just my theory, but I'm sure I'm wrong.

[thevolleyballer]

Posted: 12/12/06 at 2:03am

I can't help but thinking... how might this show have done had the lead roles been played by Norbert Leo Butz, Sherie Rene Scott, and Julia Murney, as was recorded on the demo sampler?

[Neverandy]

Posted: 12/12/06 at 10:46am

Good thought volleyballer. I've enjoyed Will in everything I have seen himm in, but He doesn't have the marquis value of Butz, nowadays.

[Roninjoey]

Posted: 12/12/06 at 11:07am

You find me a casual theater goer (ie not the sort of person who would frequent this board) who has any idea who Norbert Leo Butz is and I'll buy you ice cream.

I wouldn't label too much criticism at the creative team who did their job with skill and assurance. Considering the material they probably did the best anyone could. I understand the choices and compromises they probably made to create the show, and I'm sure it was a long road. Lots of critics agreed that there was skill involved, and occasional flashes of creativity. It's just... another show based on a movie. Who cares. Maybe next time they'll write something we can all get excited about.

Munk's right, don't get pissed at the critics. Frankly, when ticket prices are 100 dollars why would you go see a show that got bad reviews and excites nobody unless you were the sort of person who just has to see everything? I mean, you could just stay at home and rent the movie and you save yourself 97 bucks and a trip.

And say you're REALLY itching for a musicalized High Fidelity--if they put out a cast album, you can just play it while watching the movie!

I mean, the audience for this show already saw The Wedding Singer. Why do they need to go see The Wedding Singer Strikes Back? At least give 'em a few months until The Return of the Wedding Singer (Legally Blonde) comes out.

If you say The Wedding Singer enough times it starts to become a maddeningly funny phrase.

[Smartful Dodger]

Posted: 12/12/06 at 1:14pm

Just announce the closing already, so Cameron Mackintosh can plan his latest revival of CATS for the Imperial.
Updated On: 12/12/06 at 01:14 PM

[WickedOne2]

Posted: 12/12/06 at 1:26pm

I think High Fidelity will last past New Years. It appeals to a young crowd and maybe the producers are hoping the winter break will increase the capacity. Taboo did last until March and it opened in before Thanksgiving.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 12/12/06 at 1:32pm

If HIGH FIDELITY appeals to a young crowd, then why isn't the "young crowd" going to see the show? When I was there, I would say that 80% of the audience was middle aged women from out of town.

TABOO opened November 13 and closed February 8 (not March) - and it lasted only 100 performances. This cannot be compared to TABOO. TABOO was a self-alienating show with a misguided advertising campaign and a story line about a mostly washed up singer that 99.6% of the world no longer cares about. It was a hard sell from the beginning.

[Roninjoey]

Posted: 12/12/06 at 1:39pm

Yeah because a musical version of High Fidelity is THAT far off from a six month revival of Cats :P

[birdboy782]

Posted: 12/12/06 at 1:46pm

I'll tell you why the young crowd isn't going to HIGH FIDELITY...

It's because they don't offer STUDENT TICKETS or RUSH!!

We all know they aren't selling out, and it BAFFLES me why they wouldn't be trying to get as many young people in to see this show as possible...I'd be GIVING away tickets to young people so they could spread the word! I can't think of any young person who will shell out $100 to see this...Spring Awakening TOTALLY had the right idea -- I bought a great student ticket, saw it, loved it, told all my friends and they all went when I told them it was great.......HIGH FIDELITY really is shooting themselves in the foot.

yes, they have a lottery -- but anyone can win that -- and not everyone has hours in their schedules to waste hours of their time...

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 12/12/06 at 1:50pm

I don't think you're informed enough on the entire rush process for HIGH FIDELITY. It is my understanding due to a conversation I had with the box office attendant that if any lotto tickets do not sell, they are sold at the box office for the same price. Additionally, they are "allowed" to sell other seats as student rush. He seemed very unsure about it, but said that's what they have been doing.

They're not shooting themselves in the foot. The entire house could sell for $20, but that wouldn't change the fact that the show is bad and that the word of mouth is worse.

The show is doomed because it is absolutely horrible. Blaming the failure on ticket prices is just as ridiculous as placing the blame on critics.

[birdboy782]

Posted: 12/12/06 at 3:49pm

Munkustrap...

I have gone to the box office 3 different days (before and after reviews) and asked about their student policy -- and was told the same thing all 3 times -- no student or rush seats, except for the lottery. So perhaps you're not "informed enough" about their policies. Perhaps you misread the man who "seemed very unsure about it"...

As far as how good or bad the show may be -- I have no comment on it, as I have not seen it...and unlike other people on this board, I will reserve all opinions until I actually see the production.

So, I still stand by my opinion that they are shooting themselves in the foot. Not offering student or rush tickets for a 20 something rock musical is silly for them, especially with such a poor advance. Since the reviews didn't pan out, the next option is to get people into the show who will enjoy it and tell all their friends to go see it. I don't think that will be the blue hairs, rather the 20 something the musical is catering towards. The 20somethings won't be coming at this point to an un-hyped movie turned musical for 100 something bucks. So yes, ticket price for a younger audience does have a large affect on the future of this musical, in my opinion.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 12/12/06 at 3:54pm

It's irrelevant. They could sell out the house weekly for a year at $26.25 and still not make any money.

[birdboy782]

Posted: 12/12/06 at 4:21pm

Okay...

Not into arguing on internet message boards.........

The point is not to sell out the house every night on $26.25 tickets. The point is to get people to attend, enjoy it, spread positive words, and get more and more people in to the show. Of course not everyone who heard positive things about it from friends would be eligible for student rush (or even a young person rush like at BUTLEY for people under 25). Student rush policies are not nearly as foreign as this conversation is making them out to be; nearly every show on Broadway does have a student or general rush.

They haven't closed yet -- so obviously they're still trying to get an audience in there. This, in my opinion, is the most obvious next step that needs to happen.

Get audiences in, spread the word, build a fan base. Marketing 101.

Annnnd silly internet message board argument over.
Updated On: 12/12/06 at 04:21 PM